State Police 100th anniversary ceremony remembers lost troopers

SCITUATE, R.I. (WLNE) — Officers and their families gathered at Rhode Island State Police Headquarters to pay their respects to those that came before them as part of the department’s 100th anniversary celebrations.

The ceremony honored those who died in the line of duty as well as other late troopers.

Gov. Dan McKee and Sen. Jack Reed spoke at the event, with McKee assisting Col. Darnell Weaver in an inspection of the troop.

“Please know you are always in our hearts and your loved one will never be forgotten,” the governor said.

Weaver read a list of seven state police officers killed in the line of duty dating back to the organization’s founding.

They included Arthur Staples, Jr., who was shot and killed in North Kingstown in 1931 while transporting prisoners, and Daniel O’Brien, who was killed helping people evacuate from Hurricane Carol in 1954.

Weaver said he’s remembering them and their service this week, as well as his former coworkers who have since passed on.

“You also remember the troopers that served and who have passed on over the course of the last year or two,” he said. “You always like to remember the people that you worked with, the people that served, and always remember them.”

New state police recruits also looked on during the ceremony.

“It’s important for them to see what they’re going to be a part of, and it’s also about the tradition and what they’re joining when they eventually graduate,” Weaver said.